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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Every Thursday Karen of KissinBlueKarenhosts Beyond the Books, at which time participants are given a topic and asked to write about it on their own blogs. They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Today Karen's Beyond the Books topic is about an anti-bucket list: the things you hope to never do before you die.

Dare I admit I do not even have a bucket list? I imagine my anti-bucket list could go on forever. There are quite a few things I hope to never do before I die. There are the obvious things--the unmentionable things that might include my daughter and husband. That goes without saying. Instead of focusing on the more serious stuff I hope never happens or that I will not do, I thought maybe it would be more fun to keep my list this week light.

1. I hope to never have to go on the Tower of Terror at Disneyland. I'm not sure I would even do it for my daughter. Maybe if someone offered me a million dollars. But what's the chance of that happening?

2. I hope I never have to run away from zombies. Because they would catch me, and I would become a zombie too.

3. I hope I never have to give a speech in front of an auditorium full of people. I hate public speaking.

4. I hope I never get over my love for reading. A coworker of mine used to enjoy reading, but she said she no longer reads for pleasure because she grew tired of it. I don't want that to happen to me.

5. I hope I never NOT cry when I read a really good book--whether heartbreaking or wonderfully happy and sentimental. Some people take pride in the fact they are cold and heartless people and never cry. I like books that draw out strong emotions in me. Although, to be honest, I do cry easily. I get it from my dad.

6. I hope I never stop learning new things. No matter what age we are, we continue to learn. We can never know everything.

7. I am pretty sure I will never have a one night stand, get married in Vegas while drunk or anything remotely along those lines.
8. I will never enter a boxing or wrestling match. Much less win.
9. I will never date or become romantically involved with a vampire. Not one than sparkles or one that drinks my blood. Ever.

10. I hope I never stop appreciating my family--and life. Okay, so maybe this one is on the serious side.What about you? What would be on your anti-bucket list? (You can skip the serious stuff--all that's a given.)

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

I came across two of Lilith Saintcrow's novels on NetGalley which are being re-released. I had never read anything by the author before, but have been curious for awhile now. Let me just say, I look forward to reading more by her in the future.

The Society by Lilith Saintcrow

Imajinn Books, 2005

Romance (Paranormal); 228 pgs
Source: NetGalley

First Sentence: It was, as Rowan's best friend Hilary often said, a day of small mishaps turning into complete disasters.

Justin Delgado is a former government black ops Sigma operative who is now working for the Society, an organization trying to protect those with psychic abilities. Sigma's main goal is to control or wipe out anyone with psychic abilities. By chance, while on assignment, Justin comes across a very powerful untrained psychic. Rowan has no idea there is a name for her abilities, nor is she proud of them. She has hid them for most of her life. Suddenly, she finds herself in serious danger; Sigma will stop at nothing to capture her, even if it means killing people who get in the way. And Justin is determined to keep her safe.

I was actually surprised by how much I liked this one. It was action packed, which I love, and I enjoyed seeing the romance between Justin and Rowan unfold. Justin is very worldly and tough while Rowan is on the naive side--more innocent really. Both Justin and Rowan are damaged in their own ways. I like it when an author is able to have her characters work through all that as they come together--it feels more realistic and adds depth to the story. The Society was intense, and I sped through it because I could not wait to see how everything would play out. The big downside is that the novel has a cliffhanger ending. Fortunately, the sequel was released previously too--and so I was able to buy it without having to wait too long to see how everything turned out.

The sequel to The Society picks up three months later. Sigma is still a major threat to those with psychic abilities and they are determined to get Rowan at all costs. It is impossible to say anything more about the plot and characters without risk of spoilers to the first book. In this installment we see a harder Rowan. She has been through a lot and isn't the mouse she once was. She's had to adjust to her new life, constantly on the run, constantly fighting to save the lives of others like her. Her team with the Society is her family. Justin is fighting his own demons as well as the enemy while trying to hold onto Rowan. Hunter, Healer is just as intense as The Society,and just as hard to put down. I am kind of sad there are no more books to come. I think it would be interesting to explore some of the other more minor characters like Yoshi and Cath.

The Demon's Librarian by Lilith Saintcrow

Imajinn Books, 2009

Romance (Paranormal); 218 pgs
Source: Net Galley

First Sentence: She ended up knee-deep in slick rotting garbage with one hell of a shiner and a stitch gripping her side, holding a glowing blue knife while something with tentacles thrashed toward her in the foul stinking water.

You can imagine why this book appealed to me from the title alone. In The Demon's Librarian, librarian, Francesca "Chess" Barnes, takes matters into her own hands when she notices children in the area going missing. Realizing the culprit isn't human, she studies magic books she's found in the library's basement, arms herself, and goes after the demon. No one is more surprised to discover just who took out the demon than Ryan, who is half-demon himself. It just isn't possible.

As a Drakul, Ryan is assigned to assist and guide a wizard, and, in this case, his wizard has gone missing. He knows he cannot leave Chess alone or unprotected, especially now that she has proven herself to be a threat to some very powerful demons.

I loved Chess. I think other readers will too. She's not exactly the kick butt heroine you might expect as she still is a bit unsure of herself and just beginning to realize what she's gotten herself into, but she can certainly hold her own. I was less impressed with Ryan, if I'm honest. I tend to like my heroes to be more than just brawn. Maybe it was Ryan's own insecurities that kept me from completely falling for him--but then, there have been other characters in other books with similar issues I fall for right away. Do not get me wrong, I liked Ryan. Throughout the book, I wanted him to see himself as Chess saw him--not as a servant, but as an equal. I certainly would want him on my side if I ever found myself surrounded by demons.

While I think I liked The Society more than I liked this one, The Demon's Librarian was an entertaining book to read. There is action and plenty of humor. The romance is more of a slow cooker one, but that never bothers me. I often prefer them that way as they tend to be more believable--even in a novel about demons and magic.

Monday, October 26, 2015

This past weekend while trying to decide if I wanted to dive into Karen E. Olson's latest, Hidden, or Catherine McKenzie's Smoke, I settled on Hidden after reading the first couple paragraphs. I was pulled in right away. It helps that I have enjoyed everything I have read by Karen E. Olson before--she's a favorite author of mine. She's mentioned her latest is a bit different than her usual fare, which got me even more curious. Hidden is about Nicole, a woman who left her old life as a computer hacker behind fifteen years ago, making a new life for herself. Someone from her past has found her, however, and it sets off a chain of events that threaten to uproot everything Nicole has worked hard to build in her new life.

First two paragraphs of Hidden by Karen E. Olson:I went missing fifteen years ago.And now the only person who knew where I was is dead.

Teaser from Hidden at 16%:

"I've got a job for you." His voice is low, curling around each word like a snake.

I have not heard those words in a long time, and something moves through me: revulsion followed by a clammy fear, and then the adrenaline of desire sticks in my throat.

And from 25% of Hidden:

I might have to flee again. I might have to give up this life as well as the other one. My breath catches in my throat.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?
I ended up finishing the book in just a day, something I rarely am able to do anymore. I am now reading Smoke by Catherine McKenzie.

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is a Halloween themed freebie -- I decided to go with a list of books and movies I have read or seen that remind me of Halloween. And maybe a cat.

1.

A subtly creepy book I can recommend this time of year is Dracula by Bram Stoker. An obvious choice, I know, but oh so good. (I have yet to find a movie version which even comes close to living up to the book.)

2.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova ~ I got lost in the pages of this book and walked around in a fog when not reading it. This is a good one to read after reading Dracula.
3.

Fangland by John Marks ~ A very loose modern re-telling of Dracula, that takes a drastic turn.

4.

Hocus Pocus is one of my favorite Halloween movies. I am not much for scary movies, and so this is about the caliber of Halloween fare I enjoy.

5.

World War Z by Max Brooks ~ The book is much different than the movie. I almost didn't include World War Z on this list, but it is about zombies. It's one of the few zombie books I have read, and I really liked it. (I liked the movie too.)

6.

A Halloween Scare in California by Eric James and Marina Le Ray is a favorite Halloween picture book in our house. My daughter and I love the story--while the connection the state we live in is kind of lost on my 4 year old, it's a fun story just the same. A boy watches out his window as all the scariest monsters in the state come to town for a party only to find they are all coming to his house.

7.

Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist ~ This horror novel left a lasting impression on me. Not for the faint of heart. (I thought the movie was okay.)

8.

20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill is full of stories that are perfect for Halloween.

9.

The Nightmare Before Christmas movie was a pleasant surprise. We saw it for the first time this past weekend and really enjoyed it. Now I understand what all the fuss is about.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

The women in Ivy Rowan's family have long been gifted with being able to see the dead. The ghosts are heralds of death, warning the women that someone they know has or soon will die. Ivy has long viewed her gift as a curse. One evening in October of 1918, Ivy sees the ghost of her grandmother, the same night her father and brother have beaten and killed a German businessman in town.

At that time in American history, as the Great War rages, hostilities are high against all people and things German. The death of the German is not looked into too closely--he must have been deserving after all. Perhaps he didn't donate enough to the War cause or failed to turn his back on his own heritage completely. In another town, a German had been hung without trial or good cause, and the jury acquitted the mob who murdered him--believing they had done their patriotic duty.

As anti-German sentiment flourishes, so does the Spanish Influenza, a deadly virus which has taken the lives of many. Ivy caught the bug early on and finally feels herself coming around when her father and brother burst into the house with the news of the German's death. Ivy cannot take it anymore: the drunkenness of her father, the influence of her father on her young brother, and the violence. And so she sets off on her own at the age of twenty-five to make a life for herself.

Ivy has been a recluse for the past several years, rarely venturing out of her house. She has made a living giving piano lessons to area children. Ivy has neglected her childhood friendships and really has no one, outside of her mother. Still, she is determined to do what she must. The feeling and need to make restitution to the murdered German's brother is strong, and that is how, one evening, she finds herself at Daniel's doorstep, unsure what to say and how to act.

I went into The Uninvited with high hopes, I admit. The description lured me in immediately. I wanted to know more about this woman who could see ghosts, about the time period she lived in and everything else the story might hold for me. I was swept into the story right away and curious about Ivy. She's very naive in her own way, but also very smart. Even despite her fears, she takes what comes her way and makes the most of it. There was instance in which I questioned Ivy's judgement, but given the times and the sentiment of living in the moment, I suppose it wasn't that farfetched.

The novel has a host of interesting characters. There is May, a war widow, who has had her share of people looking down on her because she is beautiful and from somewhere else. There are the Red Cross women, Addie and Nella, who cannot drive an ambulance to save their lives, but who are determined to help victims suffering from the Spanish Influenza. Then Lucas whose loyalty to the American Protective League is unwavering, always with an eye out for those who might be unpatriotic. There are the ghosts, of course, relatives of Ivy's, including her brother, Billy, who lost his life in the War. There are the folk in the club, drinking despite the Prohibition, playing jazz and dancing as they try to forget the world outside. It is hard not to be caught up in the times, feel the tension and helplessness, and yet also taking joy in the moment.

I really liked Daniel, the brother of the German furniture store owner, the more I got to know him. He holds his secrets close to his vest. He has had a difficult time of it, not just in the United States, but in his home country of Germany as well. Daniel is full of anger, especially towards Ivy's family. And yet he has a definite soft spot for Ivy herself.

While everything about this novel is fiction, from the setting to the characters and their stories, there is truth in the history. Cat Winters does a good job of capturing the mood and desperateness of the times, including the horrors of war, the effects of fear and ignorance. I was really drawn into the time period and into the lives of the characters the author has created. I especially loved how everything came together in the end.

The Uninvited is not just a ghost story, but it is also one about redemption and hope. It is about missed opportunities and love found. As well as about finding one's way and letting go of the past. Was The Uninvited everything I hoped it would be? Yes and No. It wasn't, in the end, quite what I expected, but that was okay. In many ways, it was even better.

To learn more about author Cat Winters and her work, please visit the author's website.

Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Madison Fox survived her first week as California’s newest illuminant enforcer, defending her region against imps, vervet, hounds, and one lascivious demon. If her grumpy boss, Mr. Pitt, was impressed, he hasn’t told Madison. In fact, there’s a lot her boss has been closemouthed about, including the dark secret haunting his past.

But Madison’s problems are just igniting. Neighboring regions report an uncharacteristic flare-up of evil, fire-breathing salamanders blaze unchecked across the city, and Black Friday looms. Trapped doing cleanup amid mobs of holiday shoppers, Madison watches from the sidelines as dubious allies insinuate themselves in her region.

As suspicions kindle and the mysterious evil gains strength, Madison must determine who she can trust—and whose rules to follow—before her region and career go up in flames.

I enjoyed A Fistful of Evil, the first book in the Madison Fox, Illuminant Enforcer, series quite a bit. Madison makes for a great urban fantasy heroine. I enjoy spending time with her and Mr. Bond. A Fistful of Fire was just as good, if not better--keeping me turning pages as fast as I could, sneaking in reading moments whenever I was able (even when I wasn't supposed to). It almost felt like I was reading one of Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novel, the way events unfolded one after the other in the novel, barely giving Madison a chance to breathe. I always end those books out of breath and it was no different with this one. Madison had her hands full, that's for sure.

In A Fistful of Fire, the reader gets to know a little more about Madison's boss, Brad Pitt (not to be confused with the actor). His shady past is about to make or break him in Madison's eyes, and she has to decide whether she can trust him or not.

Author Rebecca Chastain doesn't take herself too seriously in the series as you can tell by some of the names she gives the characters and by humorous moments throughout the book, and yet there is plenty of action and tension throughout the novel. Madison's life is at stake more than once, and while she may not seem like she always knows what she is doing, she always proves to be resourceful. Perhaps she does not call for help or ask for back up when she should, but given her situation and the politics in play of her region and those nearby, the more she is able to do on her own, the better. Besides, Madison is no damsel in distress, even if she might feel like it sometimes.

I continue to be in awe of Chastain's world building and her cast of characters, both magical and otherwise. I would love to spend more time with the prajurits, to see how Jamie progresses and evolves, and dive further into the pages of Valentine (who doesn't love a story with a magical book?). I liked getting to know the additional characters as well as some old familiar ones.

I was happy to hear the author is working on a third book in the series. I cannot get enough of Madison and her friends. If you enjoy urban fantasy with a sense of humor, I highly recommend this series.

Monday, October 19, 2015

I decided to join in Dewey's Read-a-thon this past Saturday. I hadn't signed up, and so my participation was unofficial and informal. The plans I had for that day had fallen through, and I was feeling kind of bummed as a result. What better way to cheer myself up than to lose myself in reading? I managed to get in about 10 hours of reading, finishing off a book I had begun the night before along with reading another novel. I also read two graphic novels that had been sitting on my TBR shelf for about five or so years. I took frequent breaks, including lunch out and an ice cream run later in the evening. My husband and daughter were pretty good about allowing me to read, although it meant my husband didn't get his nap. I felt a sense of accomplishment when my head hit the pillow Saturday night.

Sunday we made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Mouse had fun picking out a couple of pumpkins. This week we hope to make time to carve or decorate them. We finally got the Halloween and fall decorations out of the garage. The candy corn pot holders are now hanging from our front door thanks to Mouse.

I currently am reading Lilith Saintcrow's Hunter, Healer, the sequel to The Society. It is a paranormal romance/thriller sort of book that has me racing through the pages. I hesitate to say too much about Hunter, Healer, given The Society ended with a cliff hanger. The two books really do go hand in hand. The series features Rowan Price, a psychic much desired by good and evil forces. The books have more of a science fiction feel to them than a fantasy one, given the special ops units and fire power involved. Not my usual type of read, and yet I enjoyed The Society more than I expected and am anxious to see how it all turns out in Hunter, Healer.

I stopped here because the next paragraph is more revealing. By revealing I mean it contains a possible spoiler for those who have not (but want to) read the first book.

Teasers from Hunter, Healer at 26% in which we catch Rowan in a reflective moment: The old pain rose, and the old rage with it. She stared out at the lights, then reached up and spread her had against the chill glass. Mist outlined her fingers, living warmth meeting cold hardness.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?
I think when I finish Hunter, Healer, I will be ready for something more based in reality. maybe A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding by Jackie Copleton or The Headmaster's Wager by Vincent Lam. Both are calling to me, and rather loudly at that.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is 10 Wishes I'd Ask The Book Genie To Grant Me. This was harder than I thougth it would be.

1. I wish I had a Time-Turner like Hermione Granger's. Then I could get everything done I want to, including make a good dent in my TBR pile plus get all those reviews and posts written in a timely fashion.

2. I wish I had started recording the books I read earlier in my life. I started keeping a reading journal in 2003. So many books read undocumented. It seems a crime.

3. I would love to have a Library Tardis. Small on the outside, but big on the inside.

4. I would wish for a photographic memory. Or maybe just semi-perfect recall. Just better recall would do. I just think it would be cool.

5. On a more practical note, I would love a book-shelf themed quilt.

6. Who wouldn't want unlimited funds for books? I think this one is self-explanatory.

7. I wish I had read Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace already--and loved it. Okay, so at this point I just want to have the reading of the book behind me.

8. I would love to actually be able to step into the pages of a book and into the world I am reading about, to come and go as a I please.

9. This is more of a hope than a wish, but I would like to see my daughter find pleasure in reading throughout her life.

10. Along a similar vain, I wish that the non-readers in my life could experience the joys of reading at least once or twice a year--at the very least.

If you had a Book Genie that could grant unlimited wishes, what would you wish for?

Kenna Sinclair knew her time would come to jump back into time to the thirteenth century Scotland where she would join her eldest sister and grandmother, only she didn't know it would be so soon. She isn't exactly happy to be leaving behind the modern conveniences she's grown used to. Still, fate is fate and her grandmother says it must be so--and so it will be. The last thing she expects though is to find herself attracted to the clan's man-at-arms who clearly has had his way with many women. Colum Garrison is just as taken with her, of course, and in his heart, knows no other woman will do ever again.

This is the second book in the Highland Hearts series, but my first book by the author. It reads quite well as a stand alone, although I always think with books like this I wish I had read the first to get more of a background, especially when it involves paranormal powers. The author offers some idea in this installment so I wasn't feeling completely lost. It seems the Sinclair women all have some sort of special ability beyond just the ability to time walk, and for Kenna that means she can read minds--and sometimes manipulate thoughts. Surprisingly, she does very little of that in the novel.

I admit to being a bit bored with the first quarter of the book. Colum and Kenna meet, fall in love and know they are meant to be together--it's fate, after all. Kenna wants the big gorgeous oaf to propose to her, but he's decided he can't. At least not until he can offer her a proper home. You have to respect a guy who wants to do it right. Only, a new suitor visits the castle, and he will not take no for an answer. Then, things pick up. Thank goodness because it seemed like everything was a little too easy for the hero and heroine.

I liked Kenna quite a bit. She's an independent thinker, knows what she wants, and isn't afraid to go after it--or him. Colum seems like a really nice guy--strong and fierce in a fight, and loyal.

After reading My Highland Bride, I cannot say I am especially interested in going back and reading the first in the series. However, knowing what and who will be in the third book . . . Well, that's a different story. The character that most interested me in this novel will be appearing in that one--and I may have to see how that works out.

I found the first two books in the the series entertaining, and so was eager to give Bearing It All a try, a novel featuring the middle of the Matheson brothers. Ronan is the most reserved of the brothers, having never quite gotten over his father's death. Like his brothers, he is a Highlander through and through--as well as a bear shifter. One day while in bear form, Ronan was swept off his feet by a French Intelligence officer when she falls from the sky right on top of him. I am not sure who was more surprised. As the weather takes a turn for the worst, the two are snowed in at Ronan's cabin getaway and the two have no choice but to get acquainted. Ronan tries to hide his inner bear--a bear that has other ideas.

I wasn't as enamored with this particular installment in the series. Anisa, the heroine, certainly is no damsel in distress even despite her situation. She's been accused of terrorism and wants only to clear her name. She never expected to fall in love with a hunk of a Scot and his needy bear.

I'm finding it hard to explain what bothered me about this book other than to say I felt something was missing. Perhaps it was the fact I had a hard time suspending my disbelief.

[Although I will not give any major plot points away, some of you may find what I write next too much of a spoiler. Read at your own risk.]

I had a hard time believing the two did not recognize each other after only a few years apart, especially given how Ronan believed he was in love with her when they first met in France. If they'd been children back then maybe, but as adults? People don't change that dramatically over a five or six year span of time. At least I can't imagine that happening to these two. I didn't quite buy into how quickly the two fell in love--lust, yes, but not love. Especially not with their backgrounds and baggage. I also had a hard time with how easy the novel came to a resolution, especially given the allegations against Anisa. That whole story line was a little hard to believe, really, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt given the type of book this is. It is a fantasy novel after all.

All of this bothered me. I don't know if it was timing (I was coming off reading a book I really liked when I read this one) or just not the right book for me in general.

What did I enjoy about this book? The flirty and easy banter between the two characters, Ronan and Anisa. Seeing Effie in her pink baffies again (She's always a joy to run into in books--whether she's pulling a dildo out of her purse or using a healing spell) and revisiting some of the characters from the other books was definitely a highlight. I thought Ronan was a great character, and I found the relationship between him and his bear an interesting one. Ronan is very protective of those he loves and very tough, but there is a definite vulnerability there. I think it came out more in Ronan's other half--the bear, something you wouldn't really expect, At least I didn't.

[End of Spoiler]

While I found this book to be disappointing in comparison to the previous books in the series, it did have its moments. If you are interested in reading this series, definitely start with the earlier books.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

I am excited to have author Rebecca Chastain here today. I read the first book in her Illuminant Enforcer Madison Fox series, A Fistful of Evil, last year and couldn't resist reading the second book in the series, A Fistful of Fire. I highly recommend her novella, Magic of the Gargoyles, if you want to sample her writing. It's not part of the series, but still a fun read.

Please join me in welcoming Rebecca Chastain to Musings of a Bookish Kitty!

About her latest, A Fistful of Fire:

Madison Fox survived her first week as California’s newest illuminant enforcer, defending her region against imps, vervet, hounds, and one lascivious demon. If her grumpy boss, Mr. Pitt, was impressed, he hasn’t told Madison. In fact, there’s a lot her boss has been closemouthed about, including the dark secret haunting his past.

But Madison’s problems are just igniting. Neighboring regions report an uncharacteristic flare-up of evil, fire-breathing salamanders blaze unchecked across the city, and Black Friday looms. Trapped doing cleanup amid mobs of holiday shoppers, Madison watches from the sidelines as dubious allies insinuate themselves in her region.As suspicions kindle and the mysterious evil gains strength, Madison must determine who she can trust—and whose rules to follow—before her region and career go up in flames.

Sizzling with adventure and sparking with magic, A Fistful of Fire is fused with Madison Fox’s trademark blend of humor and ass-kicking action.

My Five Favorite Fantasy Felines

Several years ago, I took stock of all the books I loved and what they had in common. I wanted to build a list of themes that appealed to me for my own future stories. In the process, I realized another important factor of every story that made my top favorites list: they all had animals; most had cats. Since my cats are an integral part of my life and family, it only makes sense that I would fall for these literary felines, too. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite felines to grace the page.

1. Zanth from Robin D. Owens’s HeartMate. In Owens’s Celta novels, many cats can speak telepathically and enjoy bonding with a human companion. Owens does a beautiful job of capturing the aloof-needy air of cats as well as their self-absorption and random acts of compassion. Zanth is a street-tough cat growing used to the finer things in life, and like many of the “famcats” of Owens’s world, he plays an important part in helping his human find love. These books make me wish I could hear my cats’ thoughts—and so thankful I can’t!

2. Sammy from Piers Anthony’s Isle of View. Out of all the extreme creatures of Anthony’s Xanth novels, the one that I remember clearest over two decades later is Sammy. The cat had the ability to find everything (but the way home). Every time my cats sprawl right in my path, I think of the scene in Isle of View when Sammy finds the perfect spot in the room where no one would step. My cats could use a lesson from Sammy.

3. Fritti Tailchaser from Tad Williams’s Tailchaser’s Song. Every budding fantasy writer pens a story from a cat’s perspective at some point in their career. (No, it was just me? Anyway…) Few can get a story with a cat as a protagonist published as a short story, let alone a full-length novel, but Williams is a master at delving into the minutest details of any world, whether it’s a cyberworld of the future or a fantastic world of cats. Fritti and all the cats of Williams’s world read like real cats, not cats given human thoughts and ambitions. From their body language to their names, Williams creates a rich feline world and a hero tomcat that’s impossible not to love.

4. Peekaboo from Pat Brady’s Rose Is Rose. Okay, so this is a comic and not a novel, but the principles remain the same. Peakaboo is an important part of the ongoing story of Gumbo family, and often can hold her own as a feature character in strips. She embodies the loveable/irritating nature of cats everywhere, and Brady dips inside her head for her believable and funny reactions to human rules.

5. Mr. Bond from my own A Fistful of Evil and A Fistful of Fire novels. Based off my real-life cat, Mack Fu, Mr. Bond is an overweight Siamese-mutt who thinks he’s a kitten. He gives the main character, Madison, affection and a reason to live (to fill his food bowl, of course). He even helps her read, by keeping her lap warm. Though without magical powers of his own, Mr. Bond supports Madison’s new life; as she comes into her powers and embraces her new, dangerous job, Mr. Bond is there to soothe her with therapeutic purrs and to ground her by making sure she sticks to the most important routine: keeping his food bowl full.

Who are your favorite literary felines?

Rebecca Chastain’s debut novel,A Fistful of Evil, is an Amazon Fantasy Bestseller in the United States, Australia, and Canada. She’s been lucky to share her life with many wonderful cats, including the much-missed Big Foot, Happurr, Slim, Wild Thing, Stormy, and Tony. She and her husband are currently the well-trained caretakers of Zenzo and Mack Fu.

Thank you, Rebecca, for visiting and sharing your list of favorite literary cats with us! If you are interested in entering a giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card: a Rafflecopter giveaway. The raffle is open for entries from October 10 to October 16.

Monday, October 12, 2015

My brother and his wife are in town visiting from the northern part of the state. It has been a couple years since we last saw each other and so we have a lot of catching up to do. Mouse is thrilled to have her aunt and uncle here. We celebrated my brother's birthday at Disneyland last week at his request. Mouse is quite the entertainer all on her own and has kept them busy.

I currently am in between books, having just finished Elizabeth Haynes's Human Remains. I am a little behind in my review writing and am afraid to start the next book until I catch up. Poor memory and all that. I usually stay on top of my reviews better, but it's been so hard to find time to sit and write. Work is extremely busy as it always is this time of year and with company coming and going, I don't have the time to work on reviews or blog posts at home. I have a feeling it won't let up until after the holidays.

At Suzie Quint's request, I thought I would feature Rebecca Chastain's Fistful of Fire, the second in her Madison Fox series, which I will be reviewing next week. Rebecca will be visiting my blog tomorrow to talk about her favorite literary cats. Tasked with keeping her region clean of evil forces, Madison Fox is an Illuminant Enforcer. She's only been on the job a short time, barely had any training, but she's determined, and it's best not to underestimate her.

First Paragraph of Fistful of Fire by Rebecca Chastain:

A puddle of inky atrum pooled in front of a storage closet beside the hotel elevators. Six fist-size imps bopped around in the atrum, their primordial ooze. In the time it took me to pull my collapsible wand of petrified wood from my back pocket and extend it, a chinchilla-shaped bubble swelled in the atrum, grew glassy ebony eyes, a mouthful of needle teeth, and tiny feet. Soundlessly, it sprang an inch into the air, disconnecting from the puddle and becoming a seventh fully formed imp.

Teasers from A Fistful of Fire at 18%: I glared at the book. Being a book, it merely laid there. This was foolish."So, O great and wise book, teach me something useful."Of their own accord, the pages fluttered. I jerked back and eyed the book in disbelief. Had it just sighed at me?and because I couldn't resist the bookish recommendations (one of which I've read and loved), at 83%:Val selected Jim Butcher's Storm Front, Robin McKinley's Sunshine, and Robin D. Owen's Heart Mate. He had good taste.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

Sunday, October 11, 2015

I believe just about anyone can kill in the right circumstances, given enough motivation.

Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton

Minotaur Books, 2015

Crime Fiction; 368 pgs

From Goodreads:

In such a small community as the Falkland Islands, a missing child is unheard of. In such a dangerous landscape it can only be a terrible tragedy, surely...

When another child goes missing, and then a third, it’s no longer possible to believe that their deaths were accidental, and the villagers must admit that there is a murderer among them. Even Catrin Quinn, a damaged woman living a reclusive life after the accidental deaths of her own two sons a few years ago, gets involved in the searches and the speculation.

And suddenly, in this wild and beautiful place that generations have called home, no one feels safe and the hysteria begins to rise.

If you hang around book blog sites frequently, you may have come across mention of Sharon Bolton's Little Black Lies once or twice. Or maybe a lot. I know I have. After hearing nothing but good things about all of Bolton's books, I thought Little Black Lies might be a good place to start, given it's a stand alone novel. Now I know what all the fuss is about--and I have to agree.

Little Black Lies is everything I love in a crime fiction novel. It is intense and thought provoking with fully fleshed out characters, a complex plot, and a setting that itself could be its own character. The story is told from three different perspectives, that of Catrin, a grieving mother who has nothing left to live for; Callum, a former soldier suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder who will do anything for the woman he loves; and Rachel, a woman being eaten by guilt and depression. Each of the characters have connected and complicated histories.

With the disappearance of three children from the Falkland Islands, the most recent from a tourist family, suspicions and fears are running high among the locals and those from out of town. Sharon Bolton captures the essence of both the individual panic and that of group think, which in and of itself can lead to terrible repercussions.

There is so much to this novel. I felt transported to the islands as I read the novel, caught up in the beauty and cruelty of the land and sea, the history of the people, and wrapped up in the individual stories of the characters. Catrin is a difficult character to get to know at first; she is distant and may seem a bit uncaring--but the more I learned about her, the more I came to care about her. She has suffered so much; my heart ached for her. I liked Callum quite a bit from the start. The more I learned of his story, the more I liked him. He hasn't had an easy time of it either, suffering from his own demons. Rachel was the hardest for me to warm to, I confess. I am not sure I ever completely did. There was a part of me that could identify with some of what she was going through. Perhaps some of that was in the way Bolton told the story; perhaps that was the intent. Or perhaps it was just me and which characters I found it easiest to identify with.

I hesitate to go into too much detail about the plot and the character's lives. I think my not knowing is part of what made this book even more powerful than it might have been otherwise. Although, I think I still would have loved it. It touches on several issues I hate to read in books. I admit there is one scene that had me so disturbed I had to set the book aside for awhile. I still couldn't stop thinking about that scene. I found it so heartbreaking, even if necessary.

Little Black Lies is so full of twists and turns--and all so well done! This was a near impossible book to put down. Sharon Bolton knows how to build up the suspense and keep the reader guessing. I loved the ending and how everything played out.

I have no doubt I will be reading more by Sharon Bolton in the near future. If all her books are like this, she is sure to be a new favorite.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Every Thursday Karen of KissinBlueKarenhosts Beyond the Books, at which time participants are given a topic and asked to write about it on their own blogs. They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

I asked my husband this weekend this question because I drew a blank. I thought of three of his favorite movies that I do not like (Lost in Translation, Sidways, and American Beauty--the first two of which I found boring and the third I just couldn't get past the sexual abuse scene that was glossed over), but I am not sure they count as the worst. I can see the artistic merit in all three, even though I didn't like them. And so that leaves a movie like Catwoman, which could have been good with a good script. Catwoman is a great character and this movie failed on so many levels. The CGI could have been better, for one, And where is the character development? Halle Berry as Catwoman was a good choice, but they completely wasted her talent. This movie was embarrassing. I wanted a movie about a strong woman dealing with better thought out issues--instead of a dumbed down plot. It was an insult to women, but I guess good eye candy for men.

I didn't realize I felt so strong about that one. Haha

What about you? What is the worst movie you have ever seen?

Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writerposes a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Halloween Edition:You're volunteering to read a book to a group of young children at a library. What scary themed book for kids would you read to them?

Such an easy question! I would read Witch on a Broom by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. It's my favorite Halloween book and my daughter just loves it. I can just imagine sitting in the library, with young children gathered round as I tell the story about a witch and the friends she makes on her travels. The scary factor is pretty low, I admit, but maybe just enough for a really young crowd.

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

The seventh of July was a magnificent summer's day, one of those majestic Atlantic days that always lifted Commissaire's Dupin's spirits. ~ Opening of Death In Brittany

Death in Brittany by Jean-Luc Bannalec

Minotaur Books, 2015 (1st published in 2012)

Crime Fiction; 320 pgs

This is the first book in a crime fiction series featuring Commissaire Dupin. The series was originally written in German. This is very much a traditional police procedural with the focus on the plot and crime. Commissaire Dupin is good at his job, but not always easy to work with. He tends to keep all his cards close to his vest, not even letting his investigative team know what he's thinking. He is not a fan of politicians and they clearly are not fond of him.

When an elderly hotel owner is brutally murdered in his own hotel, Commissaire Georges Dupin is tasked with solving the crime. Could it have been the victim's own family, an employee at the hotel, the wealthy art historian, or the victim's best friend? Everyone seems to be hiding something, Dupin is sure. The investigation heats up when a window is broken at the crime scene--vandalism or a break-in? And then another body is found. The Commissaire has his work cut out for him, unraveling the threads that will lead him to the killer and the reason behind the murder. With the summer tourist season just about to begin, even the politicians are looking for quick answers. Dupin will have to come up with the answers fast.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the idyllic setting. The author has a way with putting the reader right into the small community on the coast of France he writes about. It sounds like somewhere I would not mind visiting. I got a good sense of how tight the community was, everyone knowing everyone's business, and of the history and culture of the area.

Commissaire Dupin is an interesting character, stereotypical in some ways, but I especially loved the little details the author added to make him his own person. He loves coffee (what a relief he isn't a drunk!) and food. I do wish he had been more forthcoming with his investigative team. I can appreciate someone preferring to work alone (I tend to be like that too), but it could have put him in a dangerous spot, not to mention left his team in a bind if something had happened to him. I am overthinking it though. Ultimately, I really did like Dupin and his quirks. I often was glad to wander off with him, lost in thought, to look out over the water and put the details of the mystery together. There were several hints of an interesting backstory that I would love to see explored further.

As this is a first book in a series, I can only hope that future books will more fully flesh out some of the minor but significant characters, particularly those on Dupin's investigative team. My only real complaint about the novel was that they were not more developed, particularly Le Ber and Labat and even Nolwenn.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Death in Brittany. If you enjoy reading about France and enjoy a plot-driven police procedural, you should definitely give this book a try.

Source: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Monday, October 05, 2015

My plans to schedule October's blog posts last week fell by the wayside. Mouse became sick towards the end of the week and is still feeling under the weather. Her dad stayed home with her yesterday, and it took everything I had not to call out of work too, especially when she begged me to stay. Talk about mother's guilt.

This past weekend I finished reading Rebecca Chastain's Fistful of Fire, which I hope to review for you later this month. It was such a fun and intense urban fantasy novel. It took me awhile to start a new book after that. You know how bookish high's sometimes take a moment to come down from?

I started reading Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes to feed my current hunger for a crime thriller Sunday night and have already been pulled in, although not quite as much as I have with her other books--still, it's good. This one is about a police analyst who finds the decomposing body of her next door neighbor one night while investigating where her cat has been. She suddenly becomes aware of just how easily something like that might happen to her--no one noticing she's dead for days, or even months. In her usual style, Haynes uses several different narrators to tell the story.

First Paragraph of Human Remains:

When I got home I could smell the trash cans on the cold air, a faint bad smell that made me wrinkle my nose.Inside, I opened the back door, rattling the box of cat biscuits in the hope that it would bring her scurrying. It was a clear night, so she would most likely not make an appearance at the back door until I was in the bath, when she would howl and scratch to be let in. Despite the cat flap and my efforts to get her to use it--propping it open, coaxing her, bribing her, and even shoving her forcefully through it--she ignored it and came in and out only when I was hope to open the door for her. I'd even tried getting rid of the litter box, but she'd just piss on the lino in the kitchen and then pull it up at the corner with her claws to try and cover her excretions. After that I gave up.

Teasers from Human Remains at 22%: Nobody can see pain. They have no frame of reference for pain that's happening to someone else. They can only see inactivity - which they interpret as laziness.
and at 23%:
I dreamed of death the way previously I'd dreamed of the pain leaving me, and the way before that I'd dreamed of gardens and children and weekends away. Death was my elusive lover, treasured and longed for and jealously guarded, and always distant. Always out of reach.

What do you think? Would you keep reading?

What are you reading at the moment? Is it anything you would recommend?

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is Ten Books I Was Unable to Finish. It is rare I do not finish a book. More so in the years before I had my daughter, before my personal reading time became even more precious. I have less patience for books I cannot get into right away these days. Still, I try to give a book a fair shake. What makes me give up on a book? Most often, it's my lack of interest in the characters, the story, what is happening, what will happen, etc. I am not one of those who reads the end of unfinished books to see what the outcome will be. If I don't finish the book, I likely don't care how it ends.

1. Haweswater by Sarah Hall ~ I had actually hoped to revisit this book at some point to try again, but it wasn't meant to be. The writing is descriptive and lovely, but after three attempts, I just could not drum up interest in the story or characters. It is well liked by many who read it, however. Maybe you would like it too.

From Goodreads:

The village of Marsdale is a quiet corner of the world, cradled in a remote dale in England's lovely Lake District. The rhythm of life in the deeply religious, sheltered community has not changed for centuries. But in 1936, when Waterworks representative Jack Ligget from industrial Manchester arrives with plans to build a new reservoir, he brings the much feared threat of impending change to this bucolic hamlet. And when he begins an intense and troubled affair with Janet Lightburn—a devout local woman of rare passion and strength of spirit—it can only lead to scandal, tragedy, and remarkable, desperate acts.

2. Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers ~ This book sounded like it would be perfect for me: a historical setting, scary vampires, and interesting characters with literary ties. Alas, I made it as far as half way and just couldn't make it the rest of the way through. Getting that far had been a bit of a struggle, a sure sign being when I avoid a book. It's a rather slow going book, even for a thriller.

From Goodreads:

Winter, 1862. A malevolent spirit roams the cold and gloomy streets of Victorian London, the vampiric ghost of John Polidori, the onetime physician of the mad, bad and dangerous Romantic poet Lord Byron. Polidori is also the supernatural muse to his niece and nephew, poet Christina Rossetti and her artist brother Dante Gabriel.

But Polidori's taste for debauchery has grown excessive. He is determined to possess the life and soul of an innocent young girl, the daughter of a veterinarian and a reformed prostitute he once haunted. And he has resurrected Dante's dead wife, transforming her into a horrifying vampire. The Rossettis know the time has come – Polidori must be stopped. Joining forces with the girl's unlikely parents, they are plunged into a supernatural London underworld whose existence they never suspected.

These wildly mismatched allies – a strait-laced animal doctor, and ex-prostitute, a poet, a painter, and even the Artful Dodger-like young daughter – must ultimately choose between the banality and constraints of human life and the unholy immortality that Polidori offers. Sweeping from high society to grimy slums, elegant West End salons to pre-Roman catacombs beneath St. Paul's cathedral, Hide Me Among The Graves blends the historical and the supernatural in a dazzling, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride.

3. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris ~ Many love David Sedaris and his essays about his life experiences. He's written several books, in fact. I thought this particular collection would be a good one to listen to. I needed a good laugh and was assured he would be the one to deliver it. Let's just say Sedaris and I are not a good fit.

4. American Psycho by Brett Eaton Ellis ~ I attempted to read this as part of a group read, but it didn't work out. The writing bored me to tears before I got too far into it. I at least got through the movie and liked that.

From Goodreads:

Patrick Bateman is twenty-six and works on Wall Street; he is handsome, sophisticated, charming and intelligent. He is also a psychopath. American Psycho is a bleak, bitter, black comedy about a world we all recognize but do not wish to face and it takes us on a head-on collision with America's greatest dream - and its worst nightmare.

5. Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver ~ I have made several attempts to read this one, and each time failed to get into it. I have finally come to terms with the fact that I will likely never get through it.

From Goodreads:

The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it -- from garden seeds to Scripture -- is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa.

6. Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan ~ The writing is beautiful, and I wanted so much to like this one. I was very disappointed when I didn't. I kept hoping I would fall into the book, and, at times, I thought I might--I was on the cusp--and then nothing. About half way in, I realized reading this one had become more of a chore than anything, and I had to let go.

From Goodreads:

Of Bees and Mist is an engrossing fable that chronicles three generations of women under one family tree and places them in a mythical town where spirits and spells, witchcraft and demons, and prophets and clairvoyance are an everyday reality.

Meridia grows up in a lonely home until she falls in love with Daniel at age sixteen. Soon, they marry, and Meridia can finally escape to live with her charming husband’s family—unaware that they harbor dark mysteries of their own. As Meridia struggles to embrace her life as a young bride, she discovers long-kept secrets about her own past as well as shocking truths about her new family that push her love, courage, and sanity to the brink.

Erick Setiawan’s astonishing debut is a richly atmospheric and tumultuous ride of hope and heartbreak that is altogether touching, truthful, and memorable.

7. Eat the Document by Dana Spiotta ~ I had heard such great things about this book and eagerly dove in. It sounded like something I would really like. It wasn't what I expected, which isn't usually the death knell for a book; but it this case, I suppose it was.

From Goodreads:

An ambitious and powerful story about idealism, passion, and sacrifice, Eat the Document shifts between the underground movement of the 1970s and the echoes and consequences of that movement in the 1990s. A National Book Award finalist, Eat the Document is a riveting portrait of two eras and one of the most provocative and compelling novels of recent years.

8. A Touch of Passion by Bronwen Evans ~ Historical romance and I are not always the best of friends, although I do love history and I enjoy a good romance. This particular novel sounded like fun, but I didn't like either of the main characters right out of the gate. While that isn't always cause to not finish a book, it was in this case. I could care less what happened to them.

From Goodreads

Independent and high-spirited, Lady Portia Flagstaff has never been afraid to take a risk, especially if it involves excitement and danger. But this time, being kidnapped and sold into an Arab harem is the outcome of one risk too many. Now, in order to regain her freedom, she has to rely on the deliciously packaged Grayson Devlin, Viscount Blackwood, a man who despises her reckless ways—and stirs in her a thirst for passion.

After losing his mother and two siblings in a carriage accident years ago, Grayson Devlin promised Portia’s dying brother that he’d always watch over his wayward sister. But having to travel to Egypt to rescue the foolhardy girl has made his blood boil. Grayson already has his hands full trying to clear his best friend and fellow Libertine Scholar of a crime he didn’t commit. Worse still, his dashing rescue has unleashed an unforeseen and undesired consequence: marriage. Now it’s more than Portia he has to protect . . . it’s his battered heart.

9. Further Out Than You Thought by Michaela Carter ~ Such beautiful writing! I was drawn to this book because of the time period it is set in (1992 L.A. Riots). It is one of those books that one needs to read slowly and savor, but at the time I was reading it, I struggled to stay with it. It is a much more literary fiction novel than I was in the mood for at the time, I think.

From Goodreads:

In the Neverland that is Los Angeles, where make-believe seems possible, three dreamers find themselves on the verge of transformation. Twenty-five-year-old poet Gwendolyn Griffin works as a stripper to put herself through graduate school. Her perpetually stoned boyfriend, Leo, dresses in period costume to hawk his music downtown and seems to be losing his already tenuous grip on reality. And their flamboyant best friend and neighbor, nightclub crooner Count Valiant, is slowly withering away.

When the city explodes in violence after the Rodney King verdict, the chaos becomes a catalyst for change. Valiant is invigorated; Leo plans a new stunt—walking into East L.A. naked, holding a white flag; and Gwen, discovering she is pregnant, is pulled between the girl she's been and the woman she could become. But before Gwen can embrace motherhood, she's forced to face the questions she's been avoiding: Can Leo be a father? Can she leave the club life behind, or will the city's spell prove too seductive?

Weaving poetry and sensuality with an edgy urban sensibility, Further Out Than You Thought is a celebration of life, an ode to motherhood, and a haunting story of love, friendship, and one woman's quest for redemption.

10. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy ~ Three or four attempts to read this one, and I am finally coming to the realization that I might never finish it. I want to try though. I really do.

From Goodreads:

Tolstoy's epic masterpiece intertwines the lives of private and public individuals during the time of the Napoleonic wars and the French invasion of Russia. The fortunes of the Rostovs and the Bolkonskys, of Pierre, Natasha, and Andrei, are intimately connected with the national history that is played out in parallel with their lives. Balls and soirees alternate with councils of war and the machinations of statesmen and generals, scenes of violent battles with everyday human passions in a work whose extraordinary imaginative power has never been surpassed.

The prodigious cast of characters, seem to act and move as if connected by threads of destiny as the novel relentlessly questions ideas of free will, fate, and providence. Yet Tolstoy's portrayal of marital relations and scenes of domesticity is as truthful and poignant as the grand themes that underlie them.

Contributors

At the age of five, Literary Feline (aka Wendy) was diagnosed as a fabulavore. Due to the low story content of movies and television, she has required a steady supply of books to provide her sustenance. She currently resides in California with her loving husband, adorable daughter, and one affectionate and sassy cat. Literary Feline has broadened her nutritional sources by reviewing books. Please note: Literary Feline is not a bibliovore. She's not eating the books for goodness' sake.